Grinding and polishing machine



March 10, 1942. c. R. MOO

GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. (709mm: K. Mao/v.

March 10, 1942.

c. R. MOON 2,276,059 GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VENTOR. (Mr/F455 A? Non/v,

C. R. MOON GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE March 10, 1942.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed.June 13, 1940 PIE 3 EEE MEEEE n fl 10E March 10, 1942.

IR. MOON 2,276,059

GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE l Illll Illllllll Filed June 15, 1940 Hill I 4 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENT OR.

(7mm 5.; A. Noam March 10, 1942. c MQQN 2,276,059

GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 10, 1942.

C. R. MOON GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 2,276,059 GRINDING AND romsnnvo MACHINE Charles R. Moon, Ontario Manufac tion Muncie, Ind., assignor to uring Company, a corpora- Application June 13, 1940, Serial No. 340,265

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for grinding, polishing and bufilng the curved surface of metal articles, such as spoons, knives and forks, and particularly the curved edges of the handle portions thereof.

One feature of the invention lies in an automatic machine for effectively grinding away the rough edges on the handles of table ware resulting usually from the stamping operation in the forming of such handles, and bufiing the edges to give them a smooth and finished appearance, such operation being simultaneously applied to a large number or a group of such articles. This is accomplished generally by clamping a number of the articles together so that the edges to be processed form continuous curved surfaces over which the grinding and bufling spindles carrying suitable abrasive are automatically moved to conform with the curvatures of such surfaces, and wherein an oscillatory movement is imparted to the group.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with parts thereof shown in sections. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the oscillating table. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 44 of, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the spindle heads and pressure cylinders with parts omitted for clearance. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the clamping holder for the articles to be processed. Fig. '7 is a section taken on the lin of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the automatic abrasive feed.

The machine for simultaneously grinding, buffing or polishing both curved edges of a plurality of articles, such as table ware and the like, is herein disclosed, for urposes of illustration, as being applied to the edges of spoon handles. However, it is equally and in the same manner applicable, with variations, to other articles of a like nature.

Reference being made to Figs. 6 and 7, the article, such as a spoon,|0 is applied to the machine for the purpose of having the edges ll of its handle ground, buffed or polished to remove any excess metal or irregular surface resulting from the stamping operation, and give the handle the desired finish about its exposed edge. As herein shown, a large number or group of spoons are clamped against each other between the jaws |2 which extend transversely of the group and are hinged at l3, as shown in Fig. 6. Said jaws are secured to the clamping members It having 6 5 handles l5 extending therefrom beyond the hinge l3, whereby said handles may be employed to open the jaws against the tension of springs l6. Due to the length of the holder it is provided at opposite ends with the clamping members l4, handles l5 and springs l6, intermediate of which there are similar members l4 and springs l6. At opposite ends of the clamping jaws l2, end members H are provided for engaging the end articles to hold the group against lateral displacement. Also at. each end there is provided a supporting trunnion pin l8.

Preparatory to feeding the articles to the machine, they are arranged in a group, and clamped in the holder, as shown in Fig. 6. holders may be employed so that the be placed therein and removed therefrom while another set is being operated upon, the holder with the articles being fed to and removed from the machine as a unit. The form of the clamping jaws, herein shown as applied to a spoon, may be of any desired shape, depending upon the articles to be processed.

Referring to Fig. 1, the holder carrying the nested group of spoons III is seated in place upon an oscillating carrier 20, by locating the trunnion pins I8 within the sockets 2|. Said carrier is slidably mounted upon a carriage 22 and adjustable longitudinally thereof by an adjusting screw 23 screw threaded in a rearwardly extending boss 24 connected therewith, said screw being rotatably supported within a boss 25 on the carriage 22. Said carriage is slidably supported upon the cross rods 26 which are secured upon the bed 21 at 28, whereby lateral movement may be imparted to the carriage and the articles carried thereby. The bed 2'! is slidably Supported upon the rods 29 extending longitudinally of a supporting table 30, whereby said bed may have a longitudinal movement imparted thereto. Thus, as hereinafter described, the lateral movement of the carriage, in conjunction with the longitudinal movement of the bed, will effect an oscillatory movement of the holder and the articles carried thereby.

For imparting such oscillatory movement, there is provided one of a pair of motors, generally indicated at 3|, mounted upon one of a pair of adjustable inclined platforms 32 hinged at 33 upon an extension 34 of the table. Thus, there are provided two such platforms 32 mounted side by side, but independently adjustable. Each platform carries one of a pair of independent motors 3|. The position of the motors is adjusted through the respective screws 35 for tak- Several such I articles may ing up any slack in; their driving belts. One of said motors drives the pulley 36, which is turn -drives the pulley 31 through the belt 36. Pulley and declutching position by an air cylinder 66 operated through the air hose 6 I.

when the air cylinder to is operated to throw in the clutch 41, the shaft 46 rotates the gear 62 which drives a gear 66 through an adjustable idler gear 64. The shaft 46 extends directly upwardly past thegear 62 through an upper bearing 66 terminating in an eccentric crank pin 66 pivotally connected with a block 61, which is slidable in the ways 66 in the underside of the carriage 22. The rotation of shaft 46, therefore, through the eccentric crank pin 66 and block 61 imparts lateral movement to said carriage, causing it to slide upon the rods 26.

The gear 63 is keyed to a shaft 66 extending upwardly through the table 36 and having an eccentric crank connection with a block 66 slidable in the ways 6| mounted on the underside of the bed 21. Thus, rotation of the gear 63 causes said bed to slide longitudinally upon the rods 26. The combined lateral and longitudinal movements thus imparted to the carriage and bed, respectively, effects an oscillatory movement of the carrier and the group of articles contained in the holder.

The edges II of the spoons or similar articles are processed by grinding, buffing or polishing, through the medium of the abrasive spindles 66 and 66 extending the full length of the group of articles clamped within'the jaws I2, reference being made to Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Said spindles are mounted for rotation between the forward ends of the spindle heads 61 and 66, which have their rear ends pivotally supported at 66 between the uprights 16 mounted on the table 36. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the spindle 66 is provided on one end thereof with a pulley 1| which is driven by a belt 12 from a pulley 13, said pulley 13 being driven by the second motor mounted on one of the platforms 32 and associated with the first motor, as indicated at 3|. The spindle 66 is similarly provided with a pulley 14 driven by a belt 16 from a corresponding pulley 16 keyed to pulley 36 on said first mentioned motor. Thus, each spindle is driven at high speed by a suitable motor mounted on the platforms 62, and in such manner that they may be swung toward and away from each other about the pivotal mountings of the spindle heads 61, 66. In such movement they are caused to conform to the curvatures of the edge surfaces II of the article as it in turn is oscillated by the carrier 26 in the manner above described.

The longitudinal extent of the such that the relative movement of the article with respect to the spindles will extend the full length of the surface to be processed, such as the length of the handle of the spoon. The extent of such longitudinal movement may be adjusted to accommodate articles of lesser or greater length by adjustment of the eccentric block 66 (Fig. 3)

through an adjusting screw 66. Thus, if the adjusting screw is manipulated to shorten the distance between-the shaft 66 and the block 66, the longitudinal movement will be shortened. to accommodate the processing of an article of less length. The full extent of the relative longitudinal movement of th articles with respect to the spindles is twice that of the. distance between the shaft 66 and the eccentric block 66 as controlled by said screw.

The spindles 66, 66 are pressed toward each other and in contact with the article by air pressure, but are guided to accommodate themselves to the curvature of the article by a cam. The air pressure- (Figs. 2, 8) is applied to the upper spindle 66, and more particularly against its spindle head 61 by an air cylinder 6| which is suspended from a cross member 62 carried by the uprights 16. It is pivotally connected by a plunger 63 with the spindle" head 61 at 66. A spring 64 also connects said head 61 with cross member 62 to elevate the head and spindle when the air is shut oil from the air cylinder. Similarly, pressure is applied to the lower head 66 of the spindle 66 by an air pressure cylinder 66 mounted upon the table 36 and operatively connected therewith by a pivotally connected link 66. Said link is pivotally connected to a bell crank lever 66 pivotally supported at 6| and which in turn is pivotally connected with a plunger rod 62. The air applied to said cylinders is applied through the air hose indicated at 63.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, said spindles 66, 66 are moved relative to each other in accordance with the curvature of the surface processed by means of a suitable oscillating cam 94 conforming thereto. Said cam is removably mounted upon a gear 66 supported by the ball bearings 66 upon a spindle 61 secured'to an extension 66 of the supports '16.. Said cam is removably mounted on the head by the pins 69 so that it may b replaced by other cams of different contour to correspond with the particular curvature of the surface processed. Cam'followers I66, |6| are adjustably mounted upon the spindle heads 61, 66, respectively, for causing relative movement between the spindles in accordance with the contour of the cam and under pressure of the air cylinders 6|, 66. as above described.

For adjusting the heads 61, 66 with respect to their corresponding cam followers, the follower oscillation is I66 is rotatably supported upon a sliding plate I62 longitudinally slotted at I63 to receive a locking stud I64. Said plate is slidable in a bracket I66 bolted to the head 61. The plate I62 carries a flange I66 which is screw threaded to receive an adjusting screw I61 rotatably carried in a bearing I66 of the bracket I66, and which is operable by an adjusting handle I66.

For similar adjustment the follower I6I is rotatably mounted upon asliding plate I I6 having a threaded stud II I at the lower end thereof, said plate being carried by a bracket I|2 bolted to the head66. Said bracket carries a gear housing II3 for the worm gear II4, said worm gear having an internally threaded boss engaging the threads of the stud III. The worm gear H4 is driven by a worm 6 on a shaft operated by an adjusting handle 6.

Through the adjusting handles I66, II6 the spindles 66', 66 may be adjusted with respect to each other and the cam 64 for determining the bite or depth of metal to be removed in the processing operation, as well as compensate for abrasive wear on the spindles.

For oscillating said cam. it is provided with a with its lower end meshing with the pinion I I9 mounted for free rotation between the bearing supports I20. Said pinion H9 or a companion pinion is driven by a horizontally extending rack I2I slidable within a bearing, bracket I22 and having its driven end connected with an adjustable link I23 through the pin I24 on a crank arm I25 keyed to the shaft 59. Thus, as shaft 59 is rotated to impart oscillatory movement to the bed 21, corresponding oscillatory movement is imparted to the cam 94 in timed relation therewith. Thus, the cam is oscillated in accordance with the oscillatory movement of the articles so as to effect relative movement between the spindles 65, 66 in confromity with the curvature of the surface processed. To limit the movement of the spindles and their carrying heads from each other, stop screws I 26 are provided, which screws are adjustable through screw engagement with suitable bosses extending from the support 10.

A suitable abrasive supply is provided and it is intermittently applied to the spindles 65, 66, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8. Extending longitudinally of spindle 65 and spaced above its upper surface, there is provided an abrasive stick I21. A similar abrasive stick I28 is provided along the lower spindle 66 in spaced relation to its lower surface. The stick I21 is carried by a head I29, see Figs. 1 and 8, connected with the lower end of the threaded screw I30 extending upwardly through a gear housing I3I and hearing support I 32. Said screw is in threaded engagement with a worm gear I33 driven by a worm I34 mounted on shaft I35. Said shaft has keyed thereto (Fig. 8) a ratchet wheel I36 driven one step at a time by a pawl I31 mounted on an arm I38 which is connected with an air plunger I39 periodically operated by an air cylinder I40. Similarly, the lower stick I 28 is carried by a head I mounted on a threaded screw I42 extending into a housing I43 for threaded engagement with the worm gear driven by a worm on a shaft I44 in a manner above described in respect to the stick I21. In this instance the shaft I44 is provided with a ratchet I45 operated by a pawl I46 through the periodic action of an air cylinder I 41.

Air cylinders I40 and I41 are interconnected with the air supply so that the sticks I21 and I28 are intermittently and slightly fed toward their respective spindles in timed relation with the movement of the article and the spindle heads. Said sticks are initially adjusted so that upon each separating movement of the spindle effected by the cam 94, said spindles will contact the abrasive sticks and thereby receive an abrasive treatment. The above described inward feeding of the sticks is to compensate for their loss of abrasive at each operation.

To protect the operating parts of the machine from loose and flying abrasive and dislodged metal particles, there is provided an apron I50 which is secured to the abrasive stick holder I29 and at the bottom to the holder I, said apron having suflicient opening for the free passage of the article therethrough into engagement with the spindles.

For adjusting the machine to different articles ground, and of different lengths, it is to be noted that the cam 94 is interchangeable, a different cam being used for articles of different curvature and length. Also the longitudinal throw of the article carrier is adjusted in accordance with the length of that portion to be processed. This is accomplished by adjusting the screw 60. A change in the speed of oscillation is accomplished by. the usual change gear arrangement including the changing of the gear 53 and readjusting the idler gear 64 upon the pivoted arm I5I (Fig. 3), which arm is adjustable about the shaft 46. For this purpose, the outer end of the arm I5I has a stud I52 movable in an arcuate slot I53 provided in a quadrant support I54.

In operation, the .cam 94 and gear 54 are mounted on the machine in accordance with the having various curvatures along their edges to be 76 article to be processed. The longitudinal throw of the article carrier is adjusted by the screw 80 (Fig. 3) and the carrier 20 is adjusted by the screw 23. Thereupon a series of holders, as shown in Figs. 6 and '1, are provided and the articles clamped therein. One of the holders is positioned on the carrier, the motors and air cylinders placed into operation. The clutch is then thrown in by the clutch actuating air cylinder 50. Oscillatory movement is thereby imparted to the article with respect to the processing spindles which revolve in contact with the edges to be processed. As the articles are moved in and out with respect to the spindles, the cam moves them relative to each other to conform to the curvature of the surface. On each outward movement of the spindles by the cam, they contact the abrasive sticks which are periodicallyfed inwardlyas they are used. Further, adjustment of the abrasive contact with the article to avoid low or high spots in the processing is accomplished through manipulating the adjusting handles I09, II6 (Fig. 4).

.At the completion of the operation, the processed edges of the articles will have been smoothed and polished to the desired finished surface, whereupon the clutch controlled air cylinder is actuated to stop the operation of the carrier and the air pressure on the spindle heads is reversed to separate them. Replacement of the holder containing another group of articles to be processed may then be effected.

The invention claimed is:

, 1. A grinding and polishing machine for processing metal articles having a curved surface, comprising a holder for securing said articles with their curved surfaces exposed, an abrasive spindle extending transversely of said surface in engagement therewith, driving mechanism for rotating said spindle, a pivotally mounted spindle head for carrying said spindle, a cam, a cam follower engaging said cam, means for adjustin said cam follower on said head, and means for moving said cam and imparting an oscillatory movement to said articles in timed relation for moving said spindle in conformity with the curvatuire of said articles during their relative movemen 2. A grinding and polishing machine for processing metal articles having oppositely curved follower adjustably mounted on each of saidheads, a cam mounted between said heads and cam followers for engagement thereby, and means for imparting movement to said cam in timed relation with the oscillatory movement of said spindle, driving mechanism for rotating said spindle in engagement with said surface, mechanism for imparting anoscillatory movement to said articles relative to said spindle, means for bodily moving said spindle to conform with the curvature of said articles and in timed relation with the oscillatory movement thereof, and an abrasive treating stick extending longitudinally of said spindle and spaced therefrom to be periodically engaged by said spindle when moved to its extreme position in following the curvature of said articles. 1

4. A grinding and polishing machine for processing metal articles having a curved surface, comprising a holder for securing said articles with their curved surfaces exposed, an abrasive spindle, driving mechanism for rotating said spindle in engagement with said surface, mechanism for imparting an oscillatory movement to said articles relative to said spindle, means for bodily moving said spindle to conform with the curvature of said articles and in timed relation with the oscillatory movement thereof, an abrasive treating stick extending longitudinally of said spindle and spaced therefrom to be periodicaily engaged by said spindle when moved to its extreme position in following the curvature of said articles, and means for periodically feeding said stick toward said spindle in timed relation with its movement.

5. A grinding and polishing machine for processing metal articles having a curved surface, comprising a holder for securing said articles with their curved surfaces exposed, a carrier for removably receiving said holder, mechanism for imparting an oscillatory movementto said carrier and providing a longitudinal throw coexten sive with the length of the edges to be processed, means for adjusting the longitudinal throw of said carrier, a pair of abrasive spindles, each carried by a pivoted spindle head extending into position for causing said spindleto engage and process opposite edges of the articles throu hout said surfaces, a cam interposed between said heads, cam followers adjustably mounted on said heads for engagement with said cam, driving mechanism for rotating said spindles, and means for imparting movement to said cam and oscillatory movement to said carrier in timed relation.

6. A grinding and polishing machine for processing metal articles having a curved surface, comprising a holder for securing said articles with their curved surface exposed, a reciprocating carriage for said holder, a rack bar reciprocable therewith, an abrasive spindle extending transversely of said surface in engagement therewith, driving mechanism for rotating said spindle, cam means operably associated with said spindle adapted to move it in conformity with said surface, a rack bar adapted to actuate said cam means, and a pinion common to said rack bars whereby they will be actuated in timed relation.

CHARLES R. MOON. 

